How could your election vote affect gambling in the UK?

As December rapidly approaches, most people will probably be devoting their attention to making sure they’ve got all the Christmas presents bought and wrapped. Equally as important as Christmas, with longer lasting consequences, is the key UK general election taking place on 12th December.

The results of this election will affect how the UK government tackles Brexit in 2020 after nearly four years of negotiations, with each of the major UK political parties promising a different approach.

You may have already made up your mind about who you will be voting for as the parties' manifestos have been available for some time. However, as a player of online bingo sites, the candidates' stances on gambling regulation will probably be of importance to you too, so it's important to be clued up before you vote.

In case you weren't aware of what the three major parties have pledged to change in UK gambling regulation, we've gathered the key points for you below. 

The Conservative Party promises big changes, including:

• Sanctioning a review of the gambling act from 2005
• Boris Johnson refers to the 14 year old act as an “analogue law in a digital age”
• He further promises to "legislate to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online”
• The changes will also cover loot boxes in video games and 'credit card misuse'
• Continue to take action to tackle gambling addiction

Labour's manifesto includes the following gambling related pledges:

• Treat problem gambling as a public health issue
• Curb gambling advertising in sports
• Introduce a new gambling act, replacing the one from 2005
• Establish new limits on gambling
• Introduce a levy for problem gambling funding
• New mechanisms for consumer compensation
• Expand available addiction services

Liberal Democracts seem to be taking the harshest stance on Gambling:

• Outright ban on using credit cards for gambling
• ‘Bold and decisive action to tackle problem gambling’
• Restrictions on gambling advertising
• Introduction of a gambling ombudsman
• Compulsory levy on gambling companies to fund research, education and treatment of problem gambling
• An end to the ineffective “when the fun stops, stop” slogan

It's good to see that the parties all recognise that gambling related harm in the UK is a problem that needs to be tackled. You have until midnight on Tuesday, 26th November 2019 to register to vote, so if you haven't already done so, visit the gov.uk website to register now.